Frenchman held hostage for 11 months freed in Nigeria

PARIS – France's president says a Frenchman held hostage in Nigeria for 11 months has been released.

The president's office offered no details in the Sunday statement announcing freedom for Francis Collomp, who was abducted on Dec. 20, 2012. It noted that seven French citizens remained captive in Syria, Mali and Nigeria.

On Wednesday, a French priest was abducted in Cameroon, and French President Francois Hollande said he was almost certainly taken to Nigeria. The Nigerian Islamic militant group Boko Haram claimed responsibility.

Hollande said he was sending his foreign minister to Nigeria immediately to greet Collomp, and he thanked Nigerian authorities for their help.

Last week, the U.S. labeled Boko Haram and splinter group Ansaru as foreign terrorist organizations.